About the Book

For the last two decades the number of political organizations on the far right, neo-populist right and neo-conservative right has been growing. Along with the mounting electoral success for many of the parties there has also been a growing disenchantment with the political class which has led to a revolt against the current political 'establishment'. The events of September 11, 2001 and the 'War on Terror' have further aggravated tensions within the populations between those who feel they are the 'legitimate' citizens of the state and those who are considered 'outsiders'. The recent expansion of the EU's borders has also brought on fears of a surge of both legal and illegal immigration. All these factors have led to a growing number of cases of harassment and outbursts of violence aimed at asylum seekers and ethnic minorities in Europe. This book measures the effects of neo-populist groups on the current political establishment and illustrates how much political appeal neo-populist views have on making current political policy.

Reviews

'Globalisation has its losers, at least in the short run. Recent decades have seen a surge of xenophobic populist movements in Europe but also a cautious adoption of anti-immigration themes in the rhetorics and policies of mainstream parties. This excellent volume surveys the various shades of brown and beige in contemporary European politics, offering new and very useful comparative concepts.' Daniel Tarschys, University of Stockholm, Sweden 'This is a thoroughly comprehensive study; it is articulate and scholarly and, significantly, comes with a timely warning: "the potential danger (of a resurgent right) flows from the consequences of an as-yet non-existent systemic crisis, which would derail economic progress. In this crisis, noisy populism could readily morph into militant fascism." How prescient! The authors helpfully provide an appendix listing over 116 parties of the radical populist right in 58 European countries.' Journal of Contemporary European Studies 'In an edited volume that represents an analytical tour de force, Liang has assembled some of the most thoughtful academics exploring the "Populist Radical Right" of the subtitle…To better understand these movements and their evolution into the present, this volume is a must read.' Nationalities Papers

About the Editor

Christina Schori Liang is in charge of the Library and Documention at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Switzerland.